NORFOLK, VA-- Old Dominion University athletic director Dr. Wood Selig announced today that Kristen Simpson, the 2008 Virginia stroke Play Champion and two-time Virginia State Amateur runner-up has been named assistant coach for both the Monarch and Lady Monarch golf programs.

"I am excited to join the Old Dominion Athletic family and become a Monarch. Coaching has always been something that I wanted to get involved in and this is a great opportunity to get started. I look forward to utilizing my knowledge both as a player at the University of Virginia and on the LPGA Futures Tour to help the student athletes improve their games to reach their full potential."- Kristen Simpson

Simpson, a Norfolk native was team captain for the University of Virginia's women's golf team as a junior and senior. As a senior at Virginia, Simpson competed in the NCAA Regional and finished 21st at the ACC Championships. She finished that season with a 76.57 scoring average and posted her best single-round score (68) and tournament score (22) at the LSU Classic. She posted a 77.44 scoring average as a junior and 78.32 at a sophomore. Simpson finished her career at UVA with a 77.58 stroke average. She was named Virginia Female Athlete of the Year by the Portsmouth Sports Club.

Simpson is a three-time All-American Scholar by the National Golf Coaches Association, and
a three-time ACC Academic Honor Roll selection.

"I am so glad Kristen will be working with us this year. I have no doubt she will make a huge impact on our program. She is a Norfolk native and has great local support as well as the all important playing experience on both the college and professional level." - Women's Head Coach Carol Robertson.

" I am excited to have Kristen Simpson join our coaching team here at ODU. She brings a lot of golf talent to the program with her excellent background in college golf at UVA as well as her experience playing on the futures tour. Kristin will be a big asset to both the men's and women's programs here at Old Dominion. I am looking forward to working with her this coming year." - Men's Head Coach Murray Rudisill

Simpson placed second in the 2006 and 2008 Virginia state Golf Association's State Amateur.
She advanced to the quarterfinals of the 2008 Southern Amateur Championships, reached match
Play of the 2007 North and South Amateur, seventh in the 2005 VSGA stroke play and qualified for the
2009 USGA Women's Amateur, advancing to the second round of match play.

Simpson has played on the LPGA Futures Tour since 2010. In high school, she helped lead Norfolk Collegiate to the TCIS Conference Championship in 2004, and she placed second individually as a junior.

Simpson is the daughter of Howard and Mary-Dolph Simpson of Norfolk. She graduated from the
University of Virginia in 2008 with a degree in economics, and also has a Master's degree from UVA in social foundations of education in 2009.